To form a molecule with a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry, what set of pure atomic orbitals must be mixed?
The answer is one s, three p, and one d. How do you figure this out?
To form a molecule with a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry, we need to mix atomic orbitals that will result in five hybrid orbitals for bonding. There should be three equatorial orbitals and two axial orbitals for this molecular geometry.
To achieve this, an s orbital (which is spherical and has one orientation) can be mixed with three p orbitals (each of which have two orientations and are perpendicular to each other in space), and one d orbital (which has multiple orientations).
When one s, three p, and one d orbitals mix together, they form a set of five sp3d hybrid orbitals. These orbitals arrange themselves in a trigonal bipyramidal geometry, as it allows them to minimize electron-electron repulsion and have the most stable arrangement.
In summary, mixing one s, three p, and one d orbitals creates five hybrid orbitals (sp3d) that have a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry.
To determine the set of pure atomic orbitals that must be mixed to form a molecule with a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry, you can follow these steps:
1. Identify the central atom in the molecule. This atom will be the one in the center of the trigonal bipyramidal arrangement.
2. Determine the number of electron groups around the central atom. In a trigonal bipyramidal arrangement, there are five electron groups.
3. Assign each electron group a designation based on its position in the trigonal bipyramidal arrangement:
- A: Axial - There are two axial positions, located along the imaginary axis passing through the central atom.
- E: Equatorial - There are three equatorial positions, forming a flat triangle around the central atom.
4. Assign hybrid orbitals to each designation, taking into account the number of electron groups:
- A: Axial positions - These will involve pure atomic orbitals from the central atom that need to be mixed. In a trigonal bipyramidal arrangement, the axial positions require overlapping of three pure atomic orbitals.
- E: Equatorial positions - These are formed by the remaining electron groups and do not require mixing of pure atomic orbitals.
5. Based on the hybridization necessary to satisfy the electron geometry, the set of pure atomic orbitals required for a trigonal bipyramidal arrangement is one s, three p, and one d. This is because the hybridization involved in the axial positions is sp3d.
By following these steps, you can determine the set of pure atomic orbitals that must be mixed to form a molecule with a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry.
To determine the set of pure atomic orbitals required to form a molecule with a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry, we need to analyze the geometry itself and the atomic orbitals involved.
A trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry consists of five electron pairs around the central atom. This arrangement can be visualized as three equatorial atoms and two axial atoms, with a bond angle of 120 degrees between each equatorial atom and the central atom, and a bond angle of 90 degrees between each axial atom and the central atom.
In terms of atomic orbitals, the electron pairs can be a combination of bonding and nonbonding electron pairs. The atomic orbitals involved typically include s, p, and d orbitals.
The central atom's hybridization will involve one s orbital, three p orbitals, and one d orbital. These orbitals will mix to form five hybridized orbitals, corresponding to the five electron pairs needed to achieve a trigonal bipyramidal arrangement.
Therefore, the set of pure atomic orbitals that must be mixed to form a molecule with a trigonal bipyramidal electron geometry is one s, three p, and one d.